1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a toilet seat and specifically to a cushioned toilet seat which contains means to appeal to the senses of the user and more specifically contains an air freshener concealed in the seat which refreshes the toilet vicinity on a continuous basis and optionally has visual as well as olfactory appeal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous efforts have been made in the past to solve the problem of odor laden air in the toilet area and any number of devices have been tried to produce a pleasing smell in the toilet area. These devices and efforts have ranged from liquid dispensers, to electronic odor neutralizers, aerosol sprays that operate on timed cycles, and apparatus connected to a flush tank or toilet seat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,194 issued Aug. 17, 1982 to Raymond H. Pearson discloses a toilet seat and lid with a concealed air ventilating and deodorizing device which is battery operated, and which operates when the weight responsive operator is actuated, due to the weight of a person on the toilet seat. In turn this allows the fan to be turned on by actuating the manually operated operator. The fan turns off when pressure is released from the toilet seat. A disadvantage of this invention is that the fan will not turn on in response to the operation of only one of the operators wherein a person may forget to switch on the fan.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,296 to Stamper has the disadvantage that batteries, or an external low voltage, is used to energize a fan to eliminate odor. Air freshener is only released from the toilet seat through pressure applied to the seat or by manually turning on a switch. There is not a continuous flow of air freshener in the toilet area.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,805 issued to Dolan discloses a room deodorizing device adapted to be mounted on a flush tank of a toilet which even though it addresses the issue of a continuous flow of air freshener into the area surrounding the toilet, the apparatus used to hold the deodorant is suspended outside of the toilet tank which may have a negative impact on the appearance of the toilet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,068,492 to Price discloses an apparatus for attaching an atomizer deodorant can to the outside of a toilet tank to be actuated whenever the flush handle is depressed. An inherent disadvantage here is the location of the deodorant apparatus which is visible and perhaps unsightly to the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,089 to Lindauer teaches a deodorizing process which utilizes an apparatus which contains a timing means for the intermittent release of deodorant from the apparatus for a predetermined time after each flushing. Releasing air freshener is dependent on the flushing operation of a toilet resulting in air freshener not being released on a continuous basis.
All of the stated patents disclose devices which have the disadvantages that either they operate on time cycles and/or on actuating some part of the toilet seat, lid, or flush tank which doesn't quite solve the problem of eliminating odor laden air which still exists in the toilet area after the exhaustion of the periodic releases of air freshener. Some of these devices which are battery operated or use an external voltage to energize the device are complicated and subject to malfunction. Air fresheners that hang in the toilet bowl or are attached to some object in the toilet area may be breakable and possess a cutting hazard or could be ingested by small children.